Muggle-Born
by SweetCherixoxo
Summary: Kallie has always been an outcast on Privet Drive. She is strange; can do things that others can't do. One day at the park, Kallie meets a boy named Harry. Their friendship is short-lived. But on the first day of term at Hogwarts, Kallie discovers that Harry has also received his letter. Her seven years take her through a journey of unexpected adventure and mystery.
1. New Friends

"Mum, can I go to the park?" I begged.

Mum sighed. "I suppose. Emily, take your sister to the park, please," she called upstairs.

"I don't want to!" Emily, my older sister, yelled back.

"I don't care. Go with Kallie or you aren't going with Brian tonight!" Mum threated.

I heard a huff. Moments later, my sister was downstairs, a pout on her pretty face. She glared at me. "Let's go, Twerp."

Emily was gorgeous, with her long, straight golden hair and bright blue eyes, flawless hourglass shape, and long, slender legs. Her face lacked any sort of blemish, and her long eyelashes curled around upon themselves, bringing out the blue in her eyes. Today she was wearing skinny jeans and cowgirl boots and a ruffled yellow top. She'd curled her hair and put on hot pink nail polish.

"Wear jackets," Mum called as we left. Emily snatched her varsity cheer jacket and my pink corduroy pullover from the coatstand and slammed the door behind us.

We arrived at the park at the end of the street, and Emily immediately went over to a bench and pulled out her iPhone. It was fairly warm that day, and the sun was shining brightly overhead. I ran over to the tube slide and climbed the ladder. When I got to the top, I saw a boy sitting in the slide.

I sat down across from him. "Hello," I said.

He looked up. "Oh, sorry, did you want to use the slide?"

"I'm all right. I'm Kallie Beckstrand. What's your name?" I asked.

"Harry. Harry Potter."

"Do you want to play together?"

"All right." He slid down the slide, and I followed him. "What do you want to do?" Harry asked.

"Why don't we play the question game?" I suggested.

"How do you play?"

"We get to ask each other questions about each other. That's how we make friends!" I explained.

"Okay. You go first."

"How old are you?" I asked, starting simple.

"I'm going to be eleven in two weeks."

"Oh, I just turned eleven last month! Now you ask me a question."

Harry thought a moment. "Where do you live?"

"I live at Number Five Privet Drive," I said.

"Really? I live at Number Four Privet Drive!"

"You're my neighbor!" I said excitedly. "What's your family like?"

Suddenly, Harry got quiet. "My mum and dad died in a car crash when I was a baby. I live with my Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and cousin, Dudley. They don't like me much. I spend a lot of my time here."

"Oh. I'm sorry. My dad was a soldier. He died at war three years ago. Now it's just me and my mum and my sister, Emily. That's her over there." I pointed to where Emily was now talking to a friend on her phone.

Harry nodded. "Dudley says he's seen her sometimes. One of his friend's brothers is her boyfriend."

"Oh, is Dudley friends with Marcus? That's Brian's younger brother."

Harry nodded. "That's him. He told Uncle Vernon that sometimes when he's at Marcus' house he can hear Brian and Emily upstairs kissing really loudly. Marcus' mum made Dudley bring me along once. I could hear them. It was quite funny."

I giggled. "I wonder if she knows they can hear her."

"Probably not."

"Boy! Get in here! Supper's getting cold!" a voice barked. Harry turned around. A fat man was standing on the porch of the house next to mine.

Harry sighed. "That's my Uncle Vernon. I'd better go. Maybe I'll see you here again sometime, though?"

I grinned. "I hope so! It would be fun to have a friend right next door."

Harry got up and started running to his house, waving over his shoulder. I bounded up to Emily. "Can we go home now? I want to tell Mum about my new friend!" I said.

Emily rolled her eyes and started walking home without a word to me, still talking on her phone. We got to our front porch and waited for Emily to hang up. She sighed. "I gotta go now, I'm home. Okay, bye, Tara!" Then she plastered a smile on her face and brought me inside.

"Thank you, Emily," Mum called as Emily went straight up to her room. Then she turned to me. "How was the park? You weren't there long; did something happen?"

I shrugged. "I made a new friend. He lives just next door at Number Four."

Mum frowned. "Do you mean the Dursley boy? I don't like that boy."

I shook my head. "No, I mean Harry Potter."

Mum's eyes widened. Then she shook her head. "No, that can't be right. The Dursleys only have one boy."

"Harry's their nephew. He said his parents died in a car crash and he was left on his aunt and uncle's doorstep. They took him in, but they don't like him much. He says they try to hide him from the neighbors," I explained.

Mum looked astonished. "Well, ah, do you think Harry would like to come over for dinner?"

"Maybe. May I ring him?"

"Sure. The Dursleys are in the phone book." Mum pointed to the thick book beside the telephone.

I went over and looked up Vernon Dursley and dialed his number. A woman, whom I assumed was Petunia, answered. "Hello?" she said, sounding frustrated.

"Hello, is Harry Potter there?" I asked politely.

Petunia paused. "Excuse me for just a moment." I could hear her set the receiver on the table and go over to the table. I could just barely make out their words. "There's a girl on the phone that wants to speak to _Potter_!" Petunia exclaimed.

"What!" a man replied. I guessed that he was Vernon.

"Why would anyone want to speak to _him_?" Dudley sneered. I recognized his voice from school; he was just a year ahead of me.

"Maybe I have friends," Harry said. "Let me speak to her!" He paused. "Please."

I heard shuffling feet and a scraping chair, and Petunia picked up the receiver. "Why do you need to speak to Harry?"

"I was going to invite him to supper at my house. I live just next door, Number Five."

"Oh. You're the young Beckstrand girl, aren't you?" Petunia sneered.

"Yes, my name's Kallie."

"Dudley's told us about you. I don't particularly like your family at all. Harry will be there in five minutes."

"Oh. Well, ah, thank you. I think." I was thoroughly confused.

Petunia hung up without saying goodbye. Five minutes later, the doorbell buzzed. I opened the door to see Harry standing there. "Hello Harry!" I said with a smile. "Come inside, my mum is making stew."

He followed me into the dining room. Emily was tapping away on her phone, feet upon the table, and Mum was finishing the stew on the stove. She wiped her hands on her apron and turned around.

Harry smiled at her and put out his hand. "Hello, Mrs. Beckstrand. I'm Harry Potter."

Her eyes got really big and she took his hand in shock. "Ah, yes, hello, Harry. Please, sit. Supper will be ready in just a few minutes."

Harry nodded and sat down beside me. Mum dished out the stew and we ate, talking about various topics. Harry told us about how Dudley had dropped a whole cake on his head one birthday, and Mum told me the embarrassing story of how I'd gone into the wrong class and stayed there until lunchtime when I realized my real teacher was across the cafeteria in my second year.

Soon, supper was over and Harry had to go home. Vernon and Petunia didn't let him come over anymore after that once they'd heard about how he enjoyed himself. I saw him at the park sometimes, but we drifted apart and went our separate ways. I wasn't too sad; I'd only known him for a day, and I had many other friends. Still, sometimes I wondered about what would happen if we had stayed friends.


	2. The Letter

I grabbed the post from the floor when I got home from my friend Mallory's house. I tossed it on the table. I noticed my name on one of the letters. I somehow knew that I should open this one in private. I stuffed it in my pocket and ran upstairs to Emily's room. She was sitting on her bed with her earbuds in, texting furiously and singing along.

"Emily, will you take me to the park?" I asked.

Emily took out one earbud. "Mum says you're old enough to go by yourself now. It's only three houses away."

"Okay!" I put on my sandals and went to the park. When I got there, I immediately went into the small clump of trees on one side of the park, making my way through the twists and turns to my secret rock. As far as I knew, I was the only one that knew about this rock. Except someone was here.

"Oh, hello, Kallie," the boy said. "I haven't seen you in a while; how've you been?"

It took a moment, but I recognized him. "Harry! It's good to see you," I replied. "I didn't know anyone else knew about this place. How'd you find it?"

"I went into the little forest and I just took some random turns until I ended up here. 'Suppose it was luck, don't you?"

I smiled. "I suppose so." Something told me I could trust him with the letter, and I did want to become friends with him again. "I got a letter today."

"Really? Who's it from?"

"I dunno. I just grabbed it and left. Do you want to open it with me?" I asked.

He grinned. "Sure."

I pulled out the envelope and smoothed it. He scooted over so I could sit beside him. The letter was addressed,

**Miss Kallie Beckstrand**  
**Number Five, Privet Drive**  
**The Second Floor**  
**The Left Side**  
**The First Bedroom**

"That's strange," I muttered.

Harry looked at it. "Oh, I got one like that as well," he said, confused.

"You did? What did it say?"

He sighed. "I have no idea. My uncle stole it before I could read it. Said it was 'dangerous.'"

I stopped. "Dangerous?"

He shook his head. "I don't think it is. But I also don't think you should show me. It seems like it was meant for your eyes only."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

He nodded. "I am. I'll wait for you back at the park."

"All right." He left. I turned the letter over. A fancy seal held it shut. It looked like a crest. I took a deep breath, broke the seal and pulled out the folded sheet of parchment. Parchment? Wasn't that used one hundred years ago? I unfolded it carefully and read it to myself.

_Miss Beckstrand,_

_We are pleased to tell you that you are hereby invited to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Term begins on September First. Included is a list of supplies and your train ticket for the Hogwarts Express. We look forward to seeing you._

_Signed,_

_Minerva McGonagall Professor of Transfiguration and Deputy Headmistress_

A school of witchcraft and wizardry? Me? Was this some sort of joke? Was it real? Was it because of my sand trick? I had to ask Mum. I stuffed the letter and envelope in my pocket and ran out to where Harry was waiting.

"Did you open it?" he asked.

"What time is it?"

He checked his watch. "Erm, 4:36. Why?"

"I've got to go. Ring me if you open the letter."

"How? My uncle ripped it to shreds!"

"You'll get another. I know it. Goodbye!" I ran off without waiting for him to reply. 4:36. Mum would be home by now. I burst through the door. Mum was sitting at the table, drinking her coffee.

"Mum, I got a letter today," I said.

She looked up. "Oh, you did? Who was it from?"

"Someone named Minerva McGonagall."

Mum froze. "Minerva McGonagall? May I see this letter?" I handed her the crumpled envelope with the letter, list, and ticket inside. She read the letter. "I can't believe this. You're a witch."

"Ah!" I exclaimed, offended.

Mum shook her head. "It means you can do magic."

"It's real? I'm a real witch?" I whispered.

She nodded. "I just hope you don't turn out like Lucius."

"Lucius?" I asked.

Mum closed her eyes. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned him."

"Who's Lucius?" I pressed.

She sighed. "Lucius is my brother."

"You have a brother? Why haven't I met him?"

"He is a wizard. He received this same letter, though his was from an Albus Dumbledore. He was the deputy headmaster at the time. After three years, Lucius was the same as ever. By then I'd turned eleven, expecting my letter to come. But when he boarded the train for his fourth year, mine still hadn't come. I was devastated.

"Anyhow, he returned home for the holiday during his fourth year, but he'd changed. He no longer acknowledged us as his family. He said it was because we were 'Muggles' – non-magic folk. After that, he never came home again. He sent us a letter when he returned to Hogwarts saying that he would be living with his friend Severus and his 'pureblood' family from now on. Mum and Dad were crushed, of course, but I was angry. Lucius had always been my big brother and had looked out for me, and now he'd suddenly abandoned us. I haven't spoken to him since."

I came up and hugged my mother tightly. "I promise I won't turn out like him. And maybe while I'm at Hogwarts I can find out more about him for you. Maybe I could even arrange for the two of you to meet."

"That would be amazing," Mum said as she pulled me closer to her. "I'll miss you while you're gone."

I pulled back. "Oh, I almost forgot. I showed Harry the envelope, not the letter of course, but he said he got one too! His uncle took it from him though."

"Oh, that's all right. Lucius told me once that if the letter isn't read by the witch or wizard it was sent to, Hogwarts just keeps sending more until it is. He'll get it. Don't worry." Mum squeezed my shoulder comfortingly. "Now let's see that list."


End file.
